Tractor mounted snow thrower with powered swivel chute

ABSTRACT

The snow thrower has a snow impeller mounted within a housing and operating to discharge snow through a discharge throat on the housing to a guide chute. The chute is rotatably mounted with respect to the throat. A double acting hydraulic cylinder reciprocates a drive member which represents part of a drive assembly so connected with the chute as to rotate the chute in one direction or the other, depending on the direction of the movement of the drive member, thereby to change the direction of snow discharge relative to the tractor.

United States Patent 91 Deen et al. [451 Apr. 10, 1973 [54] TRACTORMOUNTED SNOW 421,763 2 1s90 Schefi'ler ..37/43 B THROWER WITH POWEREDSWIVEL 728,511 5/1903 Stallard ..37/43 R CHUTE 2,587,415 2/1952 Vanvick..37/43 E 1 2,548,847 4/1951 Rossmann et a1 ..74/29 X [75] Inventors:Darrel B. Deen, Whiting; F. John Roost; James Hrdy both of Sioux FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS city, an 480,612 0/1952 Canada ..37/43 R v. 3652,425 0/1962 Canada... [73] Asslgnee. girglenccap lllqrllpmentCorporation, 634558 0/1962 Canadm" X O a 492,069 0 1953 Canada ..37 43 R[22] Filed: Jan. 14, 1971 Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey [21] Appl'106435 Assistant ExaminerEugene H. Eickholt Attorney-Scofield, Kokjer,Scofield & Lowe [52] U.S. Cl. ..37/43 R, 37/43 C, 74/30, 7

74/37, 74/892, 74/431, 302 34 ABSTRACT [51 Int. Cl. ....E01h 5/00, Fl6h27/02 The Snow thrower has a Snow impeller mounted within [58] Field ofSearch ..37/43 R, 43 A-43 K, a housing and operating to discharge Snowthrough a 37/43; 302/34; 74/2729 30, discharge throat on the housing toa guide chute. The 431 chute is rotatably mounted with respect to thethroat. A double acting hydraulic cylinder reciprocates aReferencesnclted drive member which represents part of a drive assemblyso connected with the chute as to rotate the UNITED STATES PATENTS chutein one direction or the other, depending on the 2,653,482 9/ 1953 Kinder..74/29 direction of the movement of the drive member, 3,455,433 7/1969Gentry thereby to change the direction. of snow discharge 2,603,0077/1952 Fiacco relative to the tractor. 1,638,708 8/1927 Saxon 2,865,491Schiller ..37/43 R X 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATHHEDAPRIUIUB 7$726,029

SHEET 1 [IF 2 Darrel 5. Dean I NVENTORS E Job)? 1900.97 BYJames find]TRACTOR MOUNTED SNOW THROWER WITH POWERED SWIVEL CIIUTE BACKGROUND ANDSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Snow throwers are used extensively in winterclimate areas for removing snow from roads and streets, airplanerunways, parking areas and the like. Such throwers usually include asnow gathering mechanism which plows up or scrapes the snow and feeds itto an impeller which throws the collected snow off to one side or otherof the path of the unit.

Among units which can be utilized as attachments for equipment usuallyreadily available to the farmer, small airport operator or city streetdepartment are those which can be attached to the rear of a tractor anddriven from the power take-off system of a tractor. The presentinvention relates to such a unit.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide, incombination with a tractor mounted snow thrower, a snow discharge chutewhich can be selectively swiveled to different positions thereby tochange the direction of snow discharge at the will of the operator ofthe tractor operating from a point remote from the chute location. Inour invention the discharge direction of the chute can be quicklychanged as desired, the degree of change possible being up to 240 oreven greater. Thus snow can be directed through a wide range ofdischarge paths relative to the thrower unit and its path of advance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swivel chute arrangementof the character described in which accidental discharge of snowdirectly toward the operator of the tractor is impossible. In ourarrangement the position of the chute is positively controlled at alltimes, and the swiveling of the chute is limited within positivelydetermined limits which do not permit the chute to be directed at theoperator.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a swivel chutearrangement in which the mechanical components for effecting swivelingof the chute are simple, non-fouling and low in cost of fabrication. Inour arrangement a minimum number of parts are needed and they can beassembled with the thrower unit quickly and easily.

Other and further objects of the invention together with the features ofnovelty appurtenant thereto will appear in the course of the followingdescription.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings which form apart of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewithand in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the variousviews:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a revolvable discharge chute snowthrower according to the preferred form of the invention, the unit beingshown as attached to the three-point hitch of a conventional tractor;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 inthe direction of the arrows, the view being somewhat schematic;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale showing the chutesrevolving mechanism from one side;

FIG. 4 is another fragmentary perspective view showing the revolvingmechanism from another vantage point;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the ring and chain portion of thechute throat, the view taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the chute ring and chain; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takenalong line 7-7 of FIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows.

The invention is utilized in connection with a tractor mountedhorizontal snow thrower of the nature shown in FIG. 1. In theillustrated unit the entire thrower assembly is supported on thethree-point hitch of the tractor 10. The power take-off shaft 11 drivesa drive shaft 12 which is connected through appropriate universal jointswith the shaft 11 and the blade shaft 13 of the thrower. The shaft 13carries a series of pivotal blades or flails 14 which operate to feedsnow into the thrower arms or impellers 15 which are also mounted onshaft 13 and which throw the snow upwardly through the throat l6 andinto the chute 17. The chute 17 then directs the snow stream to thedesired location.

The blades are located within a housing 18 having flared side wingportions 18a which converge toward and merge into the cylindricalportion 18b on which the chute throat 16 and chute 17 are mounted.

Referring to FIGs. 4 and 7, chute 17 is supported on a ring 19. In thepreferred embodiment, the lower edges of the chute are welded to thering. The ring is of inverted L-shape in cross section. The throat 16 ofthe housing is provided near its upper edge with an annular collar orflange 20 affixed thereto. The under surface of the horizontal leg ofthe ring 19 rests slidably on the upper surface of the flange 20. Aretainer bar 21 is fastened to the inside of the vertical leg of thering by one or more bolt and nut assemblies 22. The retainer bar 21underlies the lower side of the collar 20 and prevents upward separationof the chute from the throat. The chute is free, however, to turn aboutthe throat axis.

Trained about the upper exterior of the ring 19 is a length of rollerchain 23. The chain is secured to the ring by end brackets 24 and 25,each of which is attached to one end of the chain. As best seen in FIG.5 the connection between the bracket and ring and chain is in each caseestablished through the medium of a U- shaped chain end retainer 26which is adapted to receive a chain link. The legs of each bracket areapertured to receive a cotter pin 27 or other locking pin which passesthrough the bracket and the chain link to connect them together.

Chain end brackets 24 and 25 are curved to conform to the curvature ofthe outer surface of the ring. Each is secured in place to the collar bybolt and nut assembly 28 and a tightener nut and bolt assembly 29. Thelatter is received through appropriate openings formed in theconfronting outtumed flanges 24a, 250 on the chain end brackets. Thebolts to the ring are each received in elongate openings 24b, 25b formedin the respective brackets. The elongate openings permit some adjustmentof the position of the brackets on the ring and thus assure that thechain can be drawn fully taut even though there may be some variationsin individual chain lengths.

It will be noted that on each bracket 24, 25, the chain end retainer 26is located on the upper edge. This permits the chain to be supported ator near the upper edge of the ring without interference between the boltassemblies 29 and the support collar 19.

The chain 23 serves as part of a drive mechanism for revolving the chute17 so that the direction of discharge of snow from the unit can beselectively controlled from a position remote from the snow blower, asfrom the seat of the tractor unit.

The chain 23 cooperates with a toothed sprocket 30 which is affixed to avertical shaft 31 extending down to and supported rotatably by a spindle32. The spindle 32 is firmly secured to a mounting assembly 33 which isanchored to the top of the thrower housing. The shaft 31 carries asecond and smaller sprocket 34 which cooperates with a linear chainlength 35. The length of chain 35, which is roller chain like chain 23,is supported on a bar 36. The bar 36 carries chain end retainers 37which are U-shaped in cross section and which are adapted to receivechain links at the ends of the chain so that they can be pinned to theretainers by a locking pin such as cotter pin 38.

The bar is guided for longitudinal reciprocating movement in a U-shapedguide 39 which forms a part of the mounting assembly 33. The bar isconnected to one end of a piston shaft 40 which is connected to thepiston of a double acting hydraulic cylinder 41. The cylinder 41 issupported by connecting its rearmost end to an upright pin 42 secured atits base to the top of the snow thrower housing. Apertured lugs 43 arepivotally slipped over pin 42, and a spring locking member 44 engages ina grooved portion of the upper end of the pin 42 to maintain the partsconnected.

The hydraulic cylinder is supplied with hydraulic fluid through lines45, 46 which in turn are connected with the conventional four-way valve(not shown) which is associated with the hydraulic system for thetractor (also not shown). Such systems are conventionally included inmany tractors and the details thereof form no part of the presentinvention, so no further description is believed needed.

In operation, by actuating the hydraulic cylinder to drive the bar 36 inone or another direction, the shaft 31 will be rotated due to thecooperation between chain 35 and sprocket 34. The rotation of shaft 31effects rotation of the sprocket 30, thereby causing the chain 23 to beadvanced relative to the sprocket and swiveling the chute 17. The chutecan be swiveled selectively to any desired direction within the limitsof its movement simply by controlling the direction of flow of hydraulicfluid through lines 45 and 46.

The pivotal mounting of the hydraulic cylinder allows for any playbetween shaft 36 and sprocket 34 and insures of safe operation withoutbinding.

Referring to FIG. 2, the relative lengths and positioning of the bar 36with respect to its associated chain 35 and the chain 23 on the chute issuch that when the bar is approximately at the midpoint of its travel,the chute and chain are also at approximately the midpoint of theirtravel. In this position, the chute faces straight to the rear. As thepiston and the bar are impelled to the left, the chute will swing in aclockwise direction and will be moved to an end position which isapproximately 30 to the right of the vertical as viewed in FIG. 2.

The extreme left travel of the chute is counterclockwise toapproximately 30 to the r1ght of the vertical. The total encompass arcof sweep of the chute is approximately 240 thus providing a very widerange of choice of direction for throwing the snow.

The sprockets 34 and 30 and associated engagement points with the chainsare guarded from the exterior by a U-shaped guard shield 48 which ismounted to the support assembly 33. The chute is cut away as of 17a and17b to provide for clearance between the chute and guard shield duringswiveling of the chute.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one welladapted to attain all the ends and objects hereinabove set forth,together with other advantages which are obvious and inherent to theinvention.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of theclaims.

Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention withoutdeparting from the scope thereof, it will be understood that all matterherein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a tractor mounted snow thrower including a snow impeller and ahousing provided with a discharge throat above the impeller, thecombination of a discharge chute above and communicating with saidthroat, said chute mounted for rotation about the axis of said throat,

a reciprocal drive assembly carried by said housing and having areciprocal drive member with an extended position and a retractedposition, and

cooperating means interconnecting said drive member and chute whereby torotate said chute in one direction upon movement of said drive member ina first direction toward said extended position and in the oppositedirection on movement of said drive member and a second direction towardsaid retracted position,

said cooperating means including a. a ring member attached to saidchute,

b. a chain extending along the periphery of said ring member, and

c. a sprocket member engaged with the chain and driven in response toreciprocation of said drive member,

(1. said chain supported means adjustable with respect to said ringwhereby to provide for adjustment of-the tautness in the chain, and

means for selectively moving said drive member between said first andsecond positions.

2. The combination as in claim 1,

wherein said chain is anchored to the ring only at the opposite ends ofthe chain with the chain stretched taut around the ring.

1. In a tractor mounted snow thrower including a snow impeller and ahousing provided with a discharge throat above the impeller, thecombination of a discharge chute above and communicating with saidthroat, said chute mounted for rotation about the axis of said throat, areciprocal drive assembly carried by said housing and having areciprocal drive member with an extended position and a retractedposition, and cooperating means interconnecting said drive member andchute whereby to rotate said chute in one direction upon movement ofsaid drive member in a first direction toward said extended position andin the opposite direction on movement of said drive member and a seconddirection toward said retracted position, said cooperating meansincluding a. a ring member attached to said chute, b. a chain extendingalong the periphery of said ring member, and c. a sprocket memberengaged with the chain and driven in response to reciprocation of saiddrive member, d. said chain supported means adjustable with respect tosaid ring whereby to provide for adjustment of the tautness in thechain, and means for selectively moving said drive member between saidfirst and second positions.
 2. The combination as in claim 1, whereinsaid chain is anchored to the ring only at the opposite ends of thechain with the chain stretched taut around the ring.